Bradley Rouleau, Isabelle Fowler & Eryn Wioncek (Research Intensive), An Experimental Archaeological Approach to Pre-historic and Historic Recipes using Zamia sp.

Third Place

Jocelyn Hernandez (Service-Learning),  Cerrando la Brecha con el Español: Serving Orlando’s Uninsured at American Muslim Community Clinics

Lily Cring et al. (Global Learning), Global Learning Project: Vietnam Women's Academy

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow

LDR2002: Animal Rights Group Amy Zeh Presentation

Daniel Hernandez, Erica Janosko, I'Asia WIlson, and Alejandra Cordero

Our project aimed to implement servant leadership and the social change model teachings into the world of Animal Rights. Through volunteering at the Humane Society of Polk County and Zooniverse, a virtual volunteering website, we were able to impact our community and the world to improve the lives and understanding of animals in our community and abroad. one of our group members, Alejandra Cordero, volunteered in-person at HSPC to enhance the lives of dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits, and to educate her community on the responsibilities of a pet owner. At the same time, the rest of our group volunteered virtually with Zooniverse. We worked with Shark Spy, a New Zealand research organization, to catalog sharks, rays, and skates along the New Zealand coast. We depend on our understanding of the importance of group communication and discovered that virtual volunteering impacts the community just as much as volunteering in person.
Cells on Energy Drinks

Claire Hiscock

For my project in Experimental Molecular Cell Biology, I aimed to investigate the effects of various reagents, particularly energy drink enhancers, on the viability of COS-7 kidney cells. My goal was to induce cell death using an unknown reagent and analyze the results. To assess cell viability, I used immunoflourscence to check if cells were healthy, apoptotic or necrotic.

Initially, I tested hot tub water but found it to be too toxic, leaving almost no cells for analysis. In my second trial, I used a MiO Energy drink enhancer, testing it at 15% and 5% concentrations. The energy drink was more effective, causing necrotic cell death, which I confirmed through fluorescent staining.

This project taught me how powerful immunofluorescence techniques can be for identifying cellular processes, like apoptosis and necrosis, and how even simple reagents can have profound effects on cell health. Additionally, I gained a greater understanding of how AI tools can assist in research, especially for automating tasks like analyzing ingredients lists, which I initially doubted. Overall, this project deepened my appreciation for cell biology and provided valuable insights into the effects of environmental and chemical stress on cell cultures.
Mastering Self-Belief: Overcoming Obstacles in Organic Chemistry

Ibrahim Itani, Vidhisha Rane, Alondra Agrait, and Amelia Woodward

As students enrolled in CHM 4942, we had the honor of serving as Undergraduate Learning Assistants in organic chemistry. This experience proved to be a valuable opportunity for us to apply the skills, strategies and principles we learned in our pedagogy class. These newfound skills aided us in class where we helped with problem-solving and facilitating group discussions, as well as out of class where we answered discussion forums and conducted test preparation. Additionally, we believe that the impact we’ve made with students is so notable that there's an interest for ULAs in courses outside of chemistry. Not only were we able to help students with their confidence, comfort and mastery of the course material, but we were also able to undergo personal and professional growth through our experiences as well. The same techniques we use with our students, such as metacognition, error framing and Bloom’s taxonomy, helped us become better students, instructors and individuals. We learned the importance of perceiving mistakes as areas of growth, meeting students where they’re at and fostering a spirit of learning through planning and reflective practices. Overall, serving as a ULA was a gratifying and rewarding experience as we were able to apply the theory that we learned in CHM 4942 to our instructional interactions with students.
Where Passion Meets Purpose: Pineapple Theatre Cultivates Community and Leadership Beyond the Stage

Kaitlyn Jadevaia, Analiesa Chavez, Isabella De Araujo Mota, Madison Rhubart, and Aleksandra Jegede

The University of Central Florida’s campus is large with countless opportunities. However, not for non-theatre majors hoping to be a part of the performing arts on campus. This is where Pineapple Theatre Company comes in! It’s a registered student organization on the Rosen College of Hospitality Management campus.

Founded in 2018, Pineapple Theatre Club started as a small club with the missions to “create, entertain, and inspire” starting with 15 members. Since then, it has dramatically grown in size to a creative community. We explored the organization in our Cultural Audit service-learning project for our Lead Scholars Class (LDR 2002) with the intention to get a better understanding of the community and see if there espoused values were actually enacted on.

We chose Pineapple Theatre because we were inspired by their inclusive and passionate approach to allowing UCF students to get involved with theatre. As volunteers, we assisted with helping the organization better align with their mission statement by encouraging marketing around campus and helping with general production tasks for their production of “Legally Blonde”.
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County: Comitmment to Community

Eric Kallas, Gabriel Cordero Arrieche, Quinn Fitzgibbons, Julissa Medina, Karl Johnson, and John McMahon

We are working with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County to assist them in getting students prepared for a future at college; while the organization has many other objectives and activities, this is the one we are focused on. We chiefly do this by acting as a volunteer for online workshops, as we are too far away to reliably provide in-house assistance. Our assistance was built upon providing students advice on what colleges are looking for in potential applicants, and to how to get into them as part of one workshop, and assisted with general ACT and SAT prep in another. In our time with these students, we gathered a better understanding of what said students need to thrive, and what they have been left lacking when it comes to being prepared to be young adults. We also picked up more hands-on experience in attempting to assist these students, learning what is most effective in teaching them. Each workshop has about 30 people, and we spent time with two separate groups as a part of our workshops, resulting in 60 teens finding the help that they needed, either in preparing for important exams, or preparing for getting into college.
Controlled Experimental Design of Neurocognitive Delay of Alzheimer’s in Standard American, Mediterranean, and DASH Diet Research Proposal

Jasmine Kaur

Alzheimer’s disease is an incurable illness of the neuronal system of which has been studied extensively The study presented intends to evaluate the effect of the MIND and the mediterranean diet in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the effect of the Standard American Diet on the development of it as well. Unlike many studies involving the effects of diet in the development of the disease in older populations, this study would involve UCF college students who are scheduled to graduate in 2030. The participants would be evaluated using the Cognitive Function Battery, a series of tests shown to be accurate in measuring cognitive ability in previous studies (Krueger et al.). It is expected, based on data from prior studies, that individuals utilizing the MIND diet will show greater cognitive ability.
The Dual Understanding of Instrctional Expierience

Ava M. Kienbaum

The Dual Understanding of Instructional Experience is centered around the impacts CHM4942 had on my personal experience in the course as well as the impacts I may have had on the students taking the main course (General Chemistry 2). Highlighted are some of the general objectives, real-world applications, impacts on students, and many highlighted anecdotes that brought me to where I am as a Learning Assistant today.
Cytarabine in children with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

Bojana Kovacevic, Erika Brandt, and Kaylee Albrecht

Leukemia is a form of blood cancer, originating in the bone marrow, and

accounts for over 30% of all cancer diagnoses in children. While there are

many forms of treatment which may be used to treat Leukemia,

chemotherapy is the most common and most effective form. The “gold

standard” treatment for pediatric Leukemia, specifically Acute Promyelocytic

Leukemia, is Daunorubicin (DNR). Another chemotherapy drug, which is

used only in combination with DNR, is Cytarabine (Ara-C). Due to the

aggressive nature of treatment, there are a number of side effects.

This clinical trial seeks to determine the non-inferiority of

DNR alone, as the addition of Ara-C significantly increases the risk for

severe side effects.As a result of the intensive research we have learned to

differentiate between different types of research, understand how to

read and gather information from clinical trials, and perform

comparative analyses of clinical trials in addition to gaining a

comprehensive knowledge on Leukemia itself.

Additionally, we have developed a

heightened awareness of identifying potential biases in research which

may alter the delivery of certain results. We have gained a thorough

understanding of the ethical principles behind different treatment protocols

which has absolutely prepared us to be better clinicians.

Together, we have identified significant room for improvement on the

current status of global standards of care, and we seek to be more critical

consumers of research in the future. We certainly see the impact potential of

what we have learned far beyond the scope of the classroom.
From Student to ULA: Flipping the Script in General Chemistry 2

Seohui Lee
What makes a song likeable?

Emily J. Longmire

The purpose of this project was to demonstrate the skills I learned in my research intensive course, Statistical Methods III. The goal of this project was to find out what aspects of a song can be used to predict the number of streams, and which aspects are most significant. To do this I used data from the Spotify API, and used R to clean and transform the data, as well as build a model. Through this course and project I learned the full process of statistical model building, how to interpret output from R, and how to communicate my findings to others in an understandable way.
An Analysis of Large Language Model Performance

Lee Edward Marshall

The development of Large Language Models (LLMs) represents a paradigm shift in the way we engage in learning. This study investigates the use of Multiple Linear Regression to predict LLM performance. By using 370 different observations using information gathered from various LLM leaderboards, I created a model with MMLU (an LLM benchmark) as the response variable and used every other variable as the response variable. Throughout the model selection process, transformations were performed on a refined model, tests to make sure the model didn't have collinearity or was overfit. The model has a p-value of 2.2e-16 meaning the model is significant and a F-Statistic of 145.8 suggesting a strong explanatory value. With an adjusted R-Squared of 0.8644 meaning the model is a very strong fit for outcome explanation.
Human Activity Shown Through Stratigraphic Evidence at the Penny Site (8BR158), Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Jackson T. Morris, Dillon Gibbs, and Alex Fantino

This research is part of the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project (CCAMP) whose mission is to record the archaeology and history of the Cape before sites are damaged by construction or affected by climate change will provide an analysis of the stratigraphy present at the Penny archaeological site (8BR158). Located on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), the Penny Site offers a robust sample of artifacts ranging from the paleoindian to the late 1800’s. To properly reveal and understand the context and importance of the Penny site, a total of eleven test units (2x2m) were excavated throughout the area, labeled alphabetically A through K. This project builds on previous research and information gathered from previous seasons to assist in our examination of the site stratigraphy. The Penny site's stratigraphy provides us with the opportunity to analyze the sediment chronologically which can not only produce a relative date to the sediment itself, but also the artifacts, and features found within, contributing to the interpretation of the site as a whole. The purpose of our investigation is to digitize and analyze the stratigraphy at the site, allowing for the identification of the levels in which intense human activity is most prominent.

You can view the video presentation at CCAMP Final Research Virtual Presentation.mp4
Changing the World One Book at a Time

Kayla A. Mulligan

My service learning experience at Eight Waves was an eye opening opportunity to explore the leadership styles within non-profit organizations, the communication style within the organizations, and the youth in my area. As I began my journey volunteering each Wednesday, I learned so much about myself and the kind of person I would like to be. Sara Meyer, the founder of Eight Waves was able to give me some insight on the creation of the program. The operational manager Kelly Carr was able to teach me how to communicate with the kids in a way where you are both a mentor and a leader. Other more seasoned volunteers were able to communicate their opinions of the program with me. After hearing thoughts and opinions from all of these individuals, I began to formulate my presentation. Eight Waves is a blessing to the Winter Garden community. Every staff member oozes passion and each organization which sponsors Eight Waves is infected with joy. It was such an amazing experience.
learning assistant for general chemistry 1

Ana P. Naranjo

I was an LA this semester for gen chem 1. I took chm 249 with Dr. Donnelly where we learn useful strategies to be a successful LA. This project talks about what worked for me as an LA this semester.
Effect of Cequa™ in Subjects With Dry Eye Disease

Lillian Nguyen, Linda Canales, and Caitlyn Kelly

This project evaluated the clinical efficacy of Cequa™ (Cyclosporine 0.09%) in individuals with Dry Eye Disease (DED) who showed minimal improvement with lower-dose cyclosporine (0.05%). The study explored real-world pharmaceutical applications, focusing on clinical trial design, patient-centered outcomes, and treatment limitations. A review of peer-reviewed literature demonstrated that Cequa 0.09% produced statistically significant improvements in both corneal health and symptom reduction when compared to Restasis® and Lifitegrast (Xiidra®).

The project was developed within the framework of a Health Sciences Seminar course and adhered to a structured timeline with instructor feedback. Emphasis was placed on scientific analysis, effective communication, and teamwork. Additionally, the project examined the importance of diversity in clinical trials and proposed strategies for more inclusive study designs in the future.

By bridging academic concepts with practical clinical research, this project contributed to a deeper understanding of how treatments move from research into real-world patient care. It highlights the value of evidence-based solutions and the importance of making therapies accessible and effective for diverse patient populations.
Anthropology in the Real World

Chastity B. Nix and Cheyenne Taylor

Anthropology is a field that likely isn’t the first to come to mind for many. Despite this, it has proven to be a great major for learning skills that are applicable to many different career paths. ANT 4861, Beyond the Anthropology Major, has not only taught us this but also made us realize just how much the general public as well as employers are missing by not being educated on Anthropological skills. Our project here is meant to highlight how little the average person is aware of what anthropology is and how employers, even those looking for anthropological knowledge, are largely unaware of what the field is or what it teaches through a combination of our personal experiences, collected surveys, and interviews with hiring professionals. We will conclude by discussing what can be done to bridge that gap of understanding and open more doors for everyone regarding the field.
The Protégé Effect: How Teaching Others Taught Me More

Maria Fernanda Paez

The purpose of my project was to explore and apply effective teaching methods in a large lecture environment of 400 students, with the goal of facilitating peer learning and improving student engagement. As a Learning Assistant, I focused on creating spaces within the classroom where students felt comfortable discussing concepts, asking questions, and learning collaboratively. Throughout the semester I learned various teaching strategies and used them in the classroom. What surprised me most was how these teaching practices began to influence my daily life. I found myself becoming a better communicator, listener, and problem-solver, not just in the classroom but in my personal interactions as well. This experience taught me that teaching is not just about delivering information, its mainly about knowing how to recognize the learning styles of the individual students for them to grasp the knowledge better and help their peers.
Peer Mentoring Service Learning at The L.E.A.D. Scholars Academy

Estefanie D. Parra

As a second-year LEAD Scholar, I’m excited to share my experience as a Peer Mentor for first-year scholars enrolled in LDR 2001. In my presentation, I share my personal definition of peer mentor, reflecting on the personal growth and lessons I have learned throughout my semester as a Peer Mentor. I will also explore the role of service learning through peer mentoring within the L.E.A.D. Scholars Academy, highlighting how mentoring not only supports the academic and personal growth of first-year students but also develops leadership skills. Overall, this has been an incredibly rewarding journey that has deeply impacted me.
Saving Dogs One Plane at a Time!

Bryson Rennard, Logan Tooley, Michael McKnight, Bryce Fable, and Arlin Naiju

This video is a culture audit of Save a Life Pet Rescue, a non-profit dog rescue organization based locally in Oviedo, Florida. As a group in LEAD, we had to gather information about the organization, including the structure of the organization, leadership within the organization, a personal interview, and the values of the organization and build a culture audit that summarized these findings. The next step of that is to relate it to the Social Change model of leadership, which involves a wide variety of values from the individual volunteer all the way up to the president of the organization.

We learned a lot about dogs and the caring of dogs, which is information we will use for the rest of our lives.
Prevalence, Control, and Treatment rates of Hypertension Across the Globe

Lina Saint-Hilaire

Hypertension is one of the leading risk factors for death and cardiovascular disease in the world. It is a condition where the pressure inside a person’s blood vessels exceeds the normal range of 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure often occurs due to plaque buildup in the arteries, a physiological need for the heart to pump blood faster, or pathological conditions that influence the cardiovascular system. Moreover, the increase in hypertension rates worldwide can be attributed to a transition towards sedentary lifestyles, high salt diets, and infrastructures/work environments that leave little room for physical activity.
This presentation (with a focus on primary hypertension) aims to define hypertension, explain how blood pressure is measured, and explore the findings of two systematic reviews that analyzed the global trends of hypertension. Through this project, I learned how to complete a research project that relates to the social change model, and I gained experience with presenting research in professional settings.
Addressing Society’s Needs Through Research

Kazi S. Salsabil

The Focused Volunteer Community Service course, part of the U-LEAD program at the University of Central Florida (UCF), is a service-learning course. This course emphasizes the significance of community service, engagement, and leadership, all of which I applied in my volunteer role as a research assistant at the Adult Development and Decision-Making Lab. In this role, I participated in research projects exploring the impact of misinformation, specifically examining whether individuals can accurately distinguish between real and fake information based on personal characteristics and neural mechanisms. The goal is to utilize the findings to inform future interventions designed to reduce the effects of misinformation. This project reflects UCF’s mission of advancing research in public health and well-being. The community service and course allowed me to engage in community outreach and advocacy. In addition, I developed social awareness, and an understanding of diverse perspectives, and addressed ethical dilemmas related to health and societal issues. Overall, this experience not only enhanced my understanding of leadership, civic engagement, and ethical reasoning but also allowed me to make meaningful contributions to both the UCF community and society at large. As I reflect on this opportunity, I am committed to continuing my civic engagement efforts and applying the lessons learned in supporting diverse communities and driving positive social change through research and clinical practice.
Smartphone Market Analysis

Olivia Santos, Maksudul Hasan, Wyatt Wetzler, and Lucia Diaz

For the main research, an argument regarding market analysis was developed. A dataset was selected containing information on the smartphone industry, including meaningful variables such as brand, price range, RAM, and others. The objective is to predict the price of a smartphone based on significant variables. We performed exploratory data analysis, model diagnostics, and model selection using techniques we learned in our Statistics III course. Real-world data is never perfect or easy to work with and this was evident during our project. Some key things we learned are data cleaning, the process of multi-linear regression, and how to work as a group. This project allowed for hands-on experience in statistical research.
The Relationship between the U.S Stock Market and Energy Commodities

Griffin Seel, Mari Arroyave, Jack Griffin, and James Murphy

This project began with the goal of finding the predictive power of oil and natural gas on the U.S. stock market. We gathered and used government-issued data on foreign oil imports volume and grade, domestic crude oil prices, domestic natural gas prices and volume, and S&P 500 prices from the 2023 fiscal year. We wrote a program in R that used several different criteria to give us the relationship between the above variables in a simple, optimal, mathematical model. We also used methods from our course such as the Box Cox transformation test to refine our variables. Ultimately, we found the value of the S&P 500 is incredibly difficult to predict with energy commodity values, with the only model of significant prediction power simply having natural gas volume as its only variable.
Empowering Communities in Crisis: The REACH Hub as an Emergency Management Lifeline in Orlando

Mohammad Newaz Sharif

This service-learning engagement with the REACH (Resilience, Education, and Advocacy Center for Hazard Preparedness) Hub project was conducted as part of PAD6397: Managing Emergencies and Crises course at the University of Central Florida. It explores the intersection of academic knowledge, community resilience, and equitable emergency management through the REACH Hub which a solar-powered, mobile infrastructure developed in collaboration with UCF researchers, the City of Orlando and other local partners. Designed to serve vulnerable communities during and beyond disasters, the REACH Hub provides critical resources such as power, internet access, refrigeration, and educational outreach. The project aligned closely with course objectives, applying key concepts like the Whole Community Approach, hazard mitigation strategies, and ethical leadership in crisis contexts (FEMA, 2011; Waugh, 2023). Through this initiative, experienced the full cycle of service learning—from investigation and preparation to action, reflection, and demonstration culminating in meaningful community impact and personal growth (Bringle & Hatcher, 1996). The REACH Hub increased local capacity for disaster resilience and served as a platform for civic engagement and STEM education. This project highlights the transformative potential of integrating coursework with community-centered practice, fostering both academic excellence and a deeper sense of civic responsibility.
Linear Regression Analysis of the Impact of Lifestyle Factors on Academic Performance: A Study of Students in India and Southeast Asia

Andrea Silva, Jean Corraliza, Alejandro Mendiola, and Sarah Velez-Osorio

This study investigates the relationship between lifestyle factors and academic performance among students in India and Southeast Asia. Using a dataset of 2,000 student observations from Kaggle, we examined how study habits, sleep patterns, physical activity, and socializing relate to Grade Point Average (GPA) and perceived stress levels. The motivation for this research stems from growing concern about academic stress and its impact on student well-being and success. Our objective is to provide practical insights for educators and health professionals to promote healthier routines that support both mental health and academic achievement.

We employed multiple linear regression to assess the combined effects of lifestyle factors on academic outcomes. The analysis began with testing statistical assumptions, including constant variance, normality, and linearity. The Shapiro-Wilk test and Q-Q plots confirmed the data followed a normal distribution, and the Box-Cox method indicated no need for data transformation. Potential outliers were evaluated using Cook’s distance and jackknife residuals, confirming that the data met conditions for linear modeling. Additionally, there was no intersection between variables.

The final model was selected using backward elimination, forward selection, and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Results from each method largely aligned, supporting the final model. This model revealed that study hours and extracurricular hours were significantly associated with GPA.

Our findings offer valuable perspectives on how specific lifestyle factors influence academic performance, with an emphasis on students in India and Southeast Asia. These insights may inform efforts to improve student support systems in other regions, including the United States.